Squids Don't Dance & Neither Does Ron Weasley
by Jenna822
Summary: *One Shot* Padma Patil would like to announce: Squids don't dance and neither does Ron Weasley! *Padma/Ron-ish* Cᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ.


**Squids Don't Dance & Neither Does Ron Weasley**

**.**

Padma Patil never felt more beautiful than she did on the evening of the Yule Ball. Her long, turquoise dress gowns contrasted elegantly against her dark skin. Her long black hair was pulled back into a plait, laced with hints of gold ribbon to match the bangles which spread delicately over each arm. She beamed a smile into the mirror as she smoothed her hand back over her hair for good measure.

It was true, she had never wanted to attend the Yule Ball with Ron Weasley, but beggars couldn't be choosers -so the saying goes. Not that Padma Patil had ever been a beggar, but when your boyfriend of six months dumps you the week before the Ball, you forgo your need for dignity in favor of saving face. The girl gave a spin and winked at her reflection.

"Marcus Belby, eat your heart out," she cooed.

With a graceful swoosh of her robes, Padma dashed out of the Ravenclaw tower and down towards the Great Hall. She stopped in her tracks, her breath hitching in her throat as she spotted Marcus and some too-skinny brunette with heels so high she could barely stand upright on them without holding onto the boy's arm. Marcus' eyes darted in Padma's direction momentarily before he focused back on his date. Padma put up her chin and continued on; only to be taken aback once more.

What reservations Padma had about going along with Ron Weasley were only amplified when she set eyes on the boy. Everything about him seemed off. His hair was a mess, his eyes were twitchy and his robes looked as though a first year had gone after them with a severing charm. She grimaced, sighed and threw a glance in the direction Marcus was standing with her replacement. "You can do this, Padma," she whispered to herself as she approached Ron, Harry and her sister.

"Padma, you can't do this," the girl groaned to herself half an hour later as she stared down at her untouched food. Ron hadn't spoken two words to her since they sat down; unless you count "Pass the salt" which she very well did _not_ count.

"What was that?" Ron asked, turning to face the girl for what seemed to be the first time.

Padma should have been thrilled that her date finally deemed her _worthy_ of his conversation. She might have been too...had there not been half chewed pork chop bouncing around in the boy's mouth, threatening to escape out onto the table.

"I didn't say anything," the girl lied, turning her face away as quickly as possible and shielding her fierce blush from the others at the table. She picked hopelessly at a dinner roll and kept her eyes down as the other students had somewhat dull -yet existent- conversations with their dates.

The return of her sister and Harry brought hope to Padma. At least now, perhaps, Ron could see how a proper date should behave. _Wrong_. The girls both sat with their arms crossed and their feet bouncing in time with the music, listening as their dates spoke about _Hermione_ _Granger_.

_As if anyone cared_!

"I can't believe she just left me," Padma sighed, watching as her sister was whisked away by a hunky Beauxbatons boy with a nice smile. She put her elbow back on the table and leaned her head into her hand. The girl's dark eyes scanned across the room, watching the other students dance, talk and sneak away to the gardens. She sighed loudly -a sad attempt at fetching Ron's attention.

After a second fail with subtly, Padma was through playing games. She did not, I repeat _not_ come to the Yule Ball to sit at a table and stare at the back of her date's head as he talked about another girl. "Are you going to ask me to dance?" she asked, tapping Ron on the shoulder to get his attention.

"No," came the answer.

Padma couldn't believe the audacity of Ron Weasley. He didn't even bother to make an excuse; didn't even pretend he was injured or ignorant. The latter would have been entirely believable and not required much effort. Instead, she gets a single word, spoken as dry as he claimed his pork chop was. Oh yes, he spoke of the food plenty that night. The girl curled her hands into fists and stormed away from the table, heading straight for her sister.

"I hate you," Padma hissed at her doppelganger.

Parvati raised her eyebrows and threw a look in Ron and Harry's direction. "Date not panning out? Well, you could have done worse, I suppose. You could have some alone and sat there staring at Marcus all night."

"I would have been better off coming here with the Giant Squid," Padma argued.

"Don't be silly." Parvati laughed quietly and waved off her sister. "The Giant Squid doesn't dance," she teased.

"Neither does Ron Weasley," Padma responded through gritted teeth.

Parvati rolled her eyes and took the hand of the Beauxbatons boy that was her savior. "Padma, the Giant Squid is _not_ an appropriate date to the Yule Ball."

Padma smirked at her sister and grabbed the girl's arm. "Neither. Is. Ron. Weasley."

While the situation grew quite tense, it was soon relieved as Parvati signaled over the best friend of her own new date. Padma stared up at the tall boy in front of her. With his devil-may-care styled blonde hair and blue eyes so shiny she could see herself reflected back, _this_ was the kinda jealousy provoking date Padma dreamed of.

"Would you like to dance?" the boy asked, his smooth French accent coating every word.

Padma nodded and took the offered hand before her. She looked back over her shoulder to her sister and exchanged winks before being whisked into a Waltz by her Beauxbatons beau. Two dances later and she had learned three important things: Gabien was fond of horses, he wanted to be a writer and it _was_ possible for Marcus Belby to go green with envy.

_This was a great night_! thought Padma as she laid her head onto her pillow and closed her eyes.

* * *

**A Note From the Author: Thank you for reading. This is just a short drabble fic written for a combination of challenges. Feel free to review. :D -Jenna**


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